SURAH AN-NISA (AYAH 131 to 140)

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ وَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا {4:131}

[Q4:131] Wa lillaahi maafis samaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa laqad wassainal lazeena ootul Kitaaba min qablikum wa iyyaakum anit taqul laah; wa intakfuroo fa inna lillaahi maa fis samaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa kaanal laahu Ghaniyyan hameedaa. 
[Q4:131] And whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is ALLAH (SWT)'s and certainly We enjoined those who were given the Book before you and (We enjoin) you too that you should be careful of (your duty to) ALLAH (SWT); and if you disbelieve, then surely whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is ALLAH (SWT)'s and ALLAH (SWT) is Self-sufficient, Praise-worthy.

[Q4:131] Dan bagi ALLAH (SwT) jualah segala yang ada di langit dan yang ada di bumi dan demi sesungguhnya, Kami telah perintahkan orang-orang yang diberi Kitab dahulu daripada kamu dan juga (perintahkan) kamu, iaitu hendaklah bertakwa kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan jika kamu kufur ingkar, maka (ketahuilah) sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) jualah yang memiliki segala yang ada di langit dan yang ada di bumi dan (ingatlah) adalah ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kaya, lagi Maha Terpuji.

For "all that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to ALLAH (SWT)" see commentary of al-Baqarah 2:255. THE COMMANDS OF THE ALMIGHTY, SELF-SUFFICIENT AND GLORIOUS LORD ARE TO BE CARRIED OUT MOST IMPLICITLY AND IN EVERY LITTLE DETAIL, WHICH IS ONLY POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO SAFEGUARD THEMSELVES WITH FULL AWARENESS OF ALLAH (SWT)'S LAWS.

ä  The whole universe is administered by ALLAH (SWT)'s laws, THEREFORE, man who is a part of the whole, cannot be unmindful of the universal laws and act in contradiction to the operation of such laws, physical as well as spiritual, because he is not independent of their application. Only ALLAH (SWT), the creator of these laws, is independent and self-sufficient.

PIETY is once again repeated in this verse as the object of the human life on earth

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(4:131) All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth belongs to Allah. We enjoined upon those who were given the Book before you, and also yourselves, to have fear of Allah. But if you disbelieve, then bear in mind that all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth belongs to Allah. Allah is Self-Sufficient, Most Praiseworthy.

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا {4:132}

[Q4:132] Wa lillaahi maa fis samaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa kafaa billaahi Wakeelaa. 
[Q4:132] And whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is ALLAH (SWT)'s, and ALLAH (SWT) is sufficient as a Protector. 

[Q4:132] Dan bagi ALLAH (SwT) jualah apa yang ada di langit dan yang ada di bumi dan cukuplah ALLAH (SwT) sebagai Pengawal (yang mentadbirkan dan menguasai segala-galanya). 

HERE QUR’AN HAS REPEATED THE ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OF ALLAH (SWT) over the entire universe to emphasise that man in his individual domestic, social and personal attitude, should have in mind THAT HE IS NOT FREE TO DECIDE AS HE LIKES, DISREGARDING THE FACT THAT HE IS ONLY SUBSERVIENT AND A PART OF THE WHOLE WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY THE ABSOLUTE WHO NEEDS NOTHING AND EVERYTHING IS SUSTAINED BY HIM.

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(4:132) And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; and Allah suffices for help and protection.

إِنْ يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِآخَرِينَ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ قَدِيرًا {4:133}

[Q4:133] Iny-yashaa yuzhibkum aiyuhan naasu wa yaati bi aakhareen; wa kaanal laahu 'alaa zaalika Qadeeraa. 
[Q4:133] If He please, He can make you pass away, O people! And bring others; and ALLAH (SWT) has the power to do this.

[Q4:133] Jika ALLAH (SwT) menghendaki, nescaya Dia musnahkan kamu wahai umat manusia dan Ia datangkan gantinya dengan umat-umat yang lain dan adalah ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kuasa melakukan yang demikian itu. 

If mankind acts against the will of ALLAH (SWT) (manifest in the laws made by Him) it shall be wiped out from the face of the earth, and He will replace them with other creatures. HE DOES WHAT HE WILLS. Refer to al-Fajr 89:6 to 13 and al-Shams 91:11 to 15.

NOTE THE WARNING against being totally wiped out of existence and being substituted with some other people, faithful and obedient to the Lord. This warning clearly indicates that a nation will be allowed by ALLAH (SWT) to exist until it is not totally rebellious and disobedient. Many rebellious people ---the Ad and Tahmud had met such a fate.

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(4:133) If He wills, He has the full power to remove you, O mankind, and bring in others in your place.

مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا فَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ ثَوَابُ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا {4:134}

[Q4:134] man kaana yureedu sawaabad dunyaa fa'indallaahi sawaabud dunyaa wal Aakhirah; wa kaanal laahu Samee'am Baseeraa. 
[Q4:134] Whoever desires the reward of this world, then with ALLAH (SWT) is the reward of this world and the hereafter; and ALLAH (SWT) is Hearing, Seeing.

[Q4:134] Sesiapa yang mahukan pahala (balasan) dunia sahaja (maka rugilah ia), kerana di sisi ALLAH (SwT) disediakan pahala (balasan) dunia dan akhirat dan (ingatlah) ALLAH (SwT) sentiasa Mendengar, lagi sentiasa Melihat. 

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(4:134) He who desires the reward of this world, let him know that with Allah is the reward of this world and also of the World to Come. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. *163

*163. In the Qur'an God often rounds off His enunciation of laws by urging people to reform those aspects of family life and social order in which they are generally liable to commit injustice with admonitions designed to create in people the urge to follow those legal injunctions. Since in the preceding verse the believers were asked to treat women and orphans with justice and kindness it was deemed necessary to bring home to them the following points:
First, that people should not entertain the illusion that they have the power to make or mar the destinies of others, that if they were to withdraw their support, people would be left helpless. The fact is that the destinies of all lie in the Hand of God alone and He need not remain dependent upon any single person as the sole instrument for helping any particular creature. The resources of the Lord of the heavens and the earth are limitless and He also knows how to use those resources.
Second, that the followers of the Prophet (peace be on him) ought to heed the admonition that was made to them, just as it was made to the followers of the former Prophets: to fear God in all their actions. They are being told in effect that by following God's guidance they will secure their own well-being rather than be the source of any benefit to God, that they can do God no harm by disobeying Him, just as it did not lie in the power of the followers of the former Prophets to cause God any harm. The Lord of the Universe does not need people's obedience. If they disobey He may simply replace them with some other nation, and their dismissal will not diminish the majesty and splendour of His realm in the least.
Third, that God alone has the power to dispense the good of this world as well as that of the Hereafter, to lavish transient benefits as well as abiding felicity. It all depends on a man's nature and the extent of his ambition what kind of benefit he seeks from God. If a man is infatuated with the fleeting benefits of this world, and is prepared to sacrifice the benefits of the everlasting life, then God will grant him only the good of this world and he will have no share in the good of the Hereafter. God's benevolence is like a river which never dries up, a river which is both capable of, and geared to, providing abundant water to all who need their tillage watered. It is short-sighted and unambitious to want one's fields to be irrigated only once, and to be prepared thereafter to face the prospect of eternal drought. Anyone with breadth of vision would commit himself to submit to God and obey Him, thereby earning the well-being of both worlds.
The section ends with the assertion that God is All-Seeing and All-Hearing. This means that God is fully aware of the actions of His creatures, and is unlike those negligent sovereigns who are blind in lavishing their favours. God governs the universe with full knowledge and awareness. He has an eye on the capacities and ambitions of all human beings and knows their qualities exactly. He is fully aware of the purposes to which people devote their efforts and energies. Anyone who 'wilfully decides to be disobedient to God should therefore not cherish hopes of receiving the favours reserved for those who obey Him. 

SECTION 20

Equity to everyone---The Jewish hypocrisy Condemend

Firmness in equity, fairplay and faith enjoined---Conveting for worldly goods forsaking truth is due to weakness in faith.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِنْ يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوَىٰ أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا ۚ وَإِنْ تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا {4:135}

[Q4:135] Yaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo koonoo qawwa ameena bilqisti shuhadaaa'a lillaahi wa law 'alaa anfusikum awil waalidaini wal aqrabeen iny yakun ghaniyyan aw faqeeran fallaahu awlaa bihimaa falaaa tattabi'ul hawaaa an ta'diloo; wa in talwooo aw tu'ridoo fa innal laaha kaana bimaa ta'maloona Khabeera. 
[Q4:135] O you who believe! be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness of ALLAH (SWT)'s sake, though it may be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; if he be rich or poor, ALLAH (SWT) is nearer to them both in compassion; therefore do not follow (your) low desires, lest you deviate; and if you swerve or turn aside, then surely ALLAH (SWT) is aware of what you do.

[Q4:135] Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Hendaklah kamu menjadi orang-orang yang sentiasa menegakkan keadilan, lagi menjadi saksi (yang menerangkan kebenaran) kerana ALLAH (SwT), sekalipun terhadap diri kamu sendiri atau ibu bapa dan kaum kerabat kamu. Kalaulah orang (yang didakwa) itu kaya atau miskin (maka janganlah kamu terhalang daripada menjadi saksi yang memperkatakan kebenaran disebabkan kamu bertimbang rasa), kerana ALLAH (SwT) lebih bertimbang rasa kepada keduanya. Oleh itu, janganlah kamu turutkan hawa nafsu supaya kamu tidak menyeleweng dari keadilan. Dan jika kamu memutar-balikkan keterangan ataupun enggan (daripada menjadi saksi), maka sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) sentiasa Mengetahui dengan mendalam akan apa yang kamu lakukan. 

THE TRANSLATION OF THIS VERSE CONTAINS THE CLEAR GUIDANCE OF MAINTAINING JUSTICE WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR.

Ä  According to Ma-idah 5:8, justice and taqwa go together inseparably.

Ä  Shiba 34:46 also urges man to stand for ALLAH (SWT) individually and collectively.

There shall [1] Not be any partiality in favour from the rich or fearing any harm from them,

[2] Nor a witness be given for any undue compassion to anyone.

[3] Neither the ties of blood or of love,

[4] Nor the consideration of any fear or favour or

[5] Compassion should made anyone swerve at all from the course of the Truth and Justice.

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(4:135) Believers! Be upholders of justice, *164 and bearers of witness to truth for the sake of Allah, *165 even though it may either be against yourselves or against your parents and kinsmen, or the rich or the poor: for Allah is more concerned with their well-being than you are. Do not, then, follow your own desires lest you keep away from justice. If you twist or turn away from (the truth), know that Allah is well aware of all that you do.

*164. It is not enough for believers to uphold justice themselves: they are expected to be its standard-bearers. They are supposed not merely to practise justice in their own dealings but to strive for its triumph. They have to do all within their power to ensure that injustice is eradicated and replaced by equity and justice. A true believer is required to be the pillar supporting the establishment of right and justice.
*165. The testimony of the believers should be solely for the sake of God. Their testimony should not be biased in favour of any of the parties concerned, they should not use any opportunity for personal aggrandizement, and they should not seek to please anyone but God.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا {4:136}

[Q4:136] Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanooo aaminoo billaahi wa Rasoolihee wal Kitaabil lazee nazzala 'alaa Rasoolihee wal Kitaabil lazeee anzala min qabl; wa mai yakfur billaahi wa Malaaa'ikatihee wa Kutubihee wa Rusulihee wal Yawmil Aakhiri faqad dalla dalaalam ba'eedaa. 
[Q4:136] O you who believe! Believe in ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger and the Book which He has revealed to His Messenger and the Book which He revealed before; and whoever disbelieves in ALLAH (SWT) and His angels and His messengers and the last day, he indeed strays off into a remote error.

[Q4:136] Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Tetapkanlah iman kamu kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya, dan kepada Kitab Al-Quran yang telah diturunkan kepada RasulNya (Muhammad, s.a.w) dan juga kepada Kitab-kitab Suci yang telah diturunkan dahulu daripada itu dan sesiapa yang kufur ingkar kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan Malaikat-malaikatNya, dan Kitab-kitabNya dan Rasul-rasulNya dan juga hari akhirat, maka sesungguhnya dia telah sesat dengan kesesatan yang amat jauh. 

THERE IS NO PHASE OF BELIEVER'S LIFE WHICH THE RELIGION OF ALLAH (SWT), PREACHED THROUGH A MESSENGER PAR EXCELLENCE, LEAVES UNTOUCHED. Nothing that a believer does or even thinks lies outside the authority of ALLAH (SWT), His messenger and his Ahlul Bayt. THEREFORE, belief in and obedience to ALLAH (SWT), His messenger and his successors (ulil amr-see commentary of verse 59 of this surah) has been ordained.

Ä  THE RELIGION OF ALLAH (SWT), ISLAM, IS A UNIVERSAL RELIGION. SO BELIEF IN ALL THE MESSENGERS OF ALLAH (SWT) AND THE BOOKS REVEALED TO THEM IS ALSO ESSENTIAL. See al-Baqarah 2:136, 285; Ali Imran 3:84, and Nisa 4:152.

The address in this Verse is to the believers, (1) to believe in ALLAH (SWT), (2) His Apostles, and (3) His Books.

IT CLEARLY INDICATES THAT A MERE HEREDITARY BELIEF WILL NOT BE OF ANY AVAIL TO ANYONE. ONE SHOULD EARN THE CORRECT BELIEF FOR ONE’S OWN SELF BY A CAREFUL STUDY, WITH COMPARE AND CONTRAST.

THIS VERSE INVITES EVERY MAN AND WOMAN TO KNOW THE TRUTH BY HIMSELF OR HERSELF FOR HIS OR HER OWN SALVATION.

THIS IS A CLEAR WARNING AGAINST THE BLIND FOLLOWING OF THE ANCESTRAL BELIEF, OR ANY HEREDITARY CREED OF FAITH.

NO RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM EVER INDICATES ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE TRUTHFULNESS OR THE SANCTITY OF THE OTHER APOSTLES OF ALLAH (SWT) AND THE OTHER HOLY SCRIPTURES.

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(4:136) Believers! Believe *166 in Allah and His Messenger and in the Book He has revealed to His Messenger, and in the Book He revealed before. And whoever disbelieves *167 in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Messengers and in the Last Day, has indeed strayed far away.

*166. To ask believers to believe might at first seem strange. The fact is, however, that belief as used here has two meanings. First, belief denotes that a man has preferred to acknowledge the soundness of true guidance, to distance himself from the fold of those who disbelieve, and to join the camp of the believers. Second, belief denotes faith, a man's believing in the truth with all his heart, with full earnestness and sincerity. It denotes man's sincere determination to mould his way of thinking, his taste and temperament, his likes and dislikes, his conduct and character, his friendship and enmity, and the direction of his efforts and striving, in conformity with the creed which he has resolved to embrace. This verse is addressed to all those who are 'believers' in the first sense of the term, and they are asked to change themselves into true believers, i.e. believers in the second sense. 
*167. Kufr has two meanings. One signifies categorical rejection. The other signifies that pretence of belief even when either one's heart is not convinced or one's conduct is flagrantly opposed to the demands of one's belief. Here the term Kufr conveys both meanings, and the verse aims at impressing upon people that whichever kind of Kufr they adopt in respect of the fundamental beliefs of Islam, it will only alienate them from the Truth, and lead them instead to falsehood, and ultimately to their tragic failure and destruction. 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلًا {4:137}

[Q4:137] Innal lazeena aamanoo summa kafaroo summa aamanoo summa kafaroo summaz daado kufral lam yakunil laahu liyaghfira lahum wa laa liyahdiyahum sabeelaa. 

[Q4:137] Surely (as for) those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, ALLAH (SWT) will not forgive them nor guide them in the (right) path.
[Q4:137] Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman, kemudian mereka kafir, kemudian mereka beriman semula, kemudian mereka kafir sekali lagi, kemudian mereka bertambah-tambah lagi dengan kekufuran, ALLAH (SwT) tidak sekali-kali akan memberi ampun kepada mereka, dan tidak akan memberi petunjuk hidayat kepada mereka ke jalan yang benar. 

As has been mentioned in Ali Imran 3:90 and 91, for those [a] who backslide, having once come in to faith (like *the Jews and *the hypocrites in the life time of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and after his departure), and [b] go on wavering wilfully, there is no guidance. A painful doom awaits them. 

Bashshir (generally used for giving glad tidings) has been used here to ridicule the hypocrites contemptuously.

·         THE REFERENCE HERE IS TO [*] THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST BELIEVED IN MOSES AND THEN DISBELIEVED IN HIM AND WORSHIPPED THE CALF AND THEN AGAIN BELIEVED IN UNZAIR AND AGAIN RETURNED TO DISBELIEF AND THEY BELIEVED IN THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND THEN DISBELIEVED IN HIM AND THEIR DISBELIEVED WAS CONTINUOUS AND ON THE INCREASE.

Ibne Abbas says that every hypocrite who lived in the time of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), in land or on sea, comes under this and this statement is proved to be true by the immediately succeeding Verse relates about punishment to the hypocrites. Refers to the hypocrites who professed Islam, then reverted and then again professed and again reverted. This they did to weaken the faith of others or owing to their inherent weakness of their wavering minds.

¥  This applies to all identical cases be that among the hypocrites of the Muslims and all those who adopted this attitude during the time of any of the apostle of ALLAH (SWT).

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(4:137) Allah will neither forgive nor show the right way to those who believed, and then disbelieved, then believed, and again disbelieved, and thenceforth became ever more intense in their disbelief. *168

*168. This refers to those for whom religion is no more than an object of casual entertainment, a toy with which they like to play as long as it suits their desires and fancies. One wave carries them to the fold of Islam and the next away to that of disbelief. Whenever Islam appears to suit their interests they become Muslims; and when the glamorous visage of the god of utility leaps up before their eyes they rush off to worship it. To such people God holds out neither the assurance of forgiveness nor of direction to true guidance. The statement that such people 'became even more intense in their disbelief refers to those who are not content with not believing themselves, but also try to undermine the faith of others and to persuade them to disbelief, who engage in secret conspiracies as well as overt activities against Islam, and who devote their energies to the struggle aimed at exalting disbelief and degrading the true religion of God. This is a higher degree of disbelief, involving the progressive heaping of crime upon crime. It is obvious that the punishment for this must be greater than for simple disbelief. 

بَشِّرِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ بِأَنَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا {4:138}

[Q4:138] Bashshiril munaafiqeena bi anna lahum 'azaaban aleemaa. 
[Q4:138] Announce to the hypocrites that they shall have a painful chastisement: 

[Q4:138] Sampaikanlah khabar berita kepada orang-orang munafik: Bahawa sesungguhnya disediakan untuk mereka azab seksa yang tidak terperi sakitnya; 

‘basharat’s generally used for announcement or giving of a glad tiding, a news which produces joy in those whom it is meant for. BUT it is also used ironically while announcing a punishment to a people who are persistently on the wrong path AND YET HOLD THEMSELVES TO BE THE RIGHT ONE. (see commentary for verse 137)

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(4:138) Give tidings of painful chastisement to the hypocrites.

الَّذِينَ يَتَّخِذُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ أَيَبْتَغُونَ عِنْدَهُمُ الْعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ الْعِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا {4:139}

[Q4:139] Allazeena yattakhizoo nal kaafireena awliyaaa'a min doonil mu'mineen; a-yabta ghoona 'indahumul 'izzata fainnnal 'izzata lillaahi jamee'aa. 

[Q4:139] Those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than believers. Do they seek honor from them? Then surely all honor is for ALLAH (SWT).
[Q4:139] (Iaitu) orang-orang yang mengambil orang-orang kafir menjadi teman rapat dengan meninggalkan orang-orang yang beriman. Tidaklah patut mereka (orang-orang munafik) mencari kekuatan dan kemuliaan di sisi orang-orang kafir itu, kerana sesungguhnya kekuatan dan kemuliaan itu semuanya ialah milik ALLAH (SwT), (diberikannya kepada sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya).

Instead of taking unbelievers as their friends (to seek favours from them) PEOPLE SHOULD PREFER BELIEVERS WHO DEPEND ON THE GRACE AND GLORY OF ALLAH (SWT) AND SEEK HIS NEARNESS AND PROTECTION (refer to al-Fatihah 1:4).

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(4:139) who take the unbelievers for their allies in preference to the believers. Do they seek honour from them *169 whereas honour altogether belongs to Allah alone?

*169. The term 'jzzah denotes a position which is at once exalted and secure. In other words, the term signifies 'inviolable honour and glory'. 

وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا {4:140}

[Q4:140] Wa qad nazzala 'alaikum fil Kitaabi an izaa sami'tum Aayaatil laahi yukfaru bihaa wa yustahza u bihaa falaa taq'udoo ma'ahum hattaa yakhoodoo fee hadeesin ghairih; innakum izam misluhum; innal laaha jaami'ul munaafiqeena wal kaafireena fee jahannama jamee'aa. 
[Q4:140] And indeed He has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear ALLAH (SWT)'s communications disbelieved in and mocked at do not sit with them until they enter into some other discourse; surely then you would be like them; surely ALLAH (SWT) will gather together the hypocrites and the unbelievers all in hell.

[Q4:140] Dan sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) telahpun menurunkan kepada kamu (perintahNya) di dalam Kitab (Al-Quran), iaitu: Apabila kamu mendengar ayat-ayat keterangan ALLAH (SwT) diingkari dan diejek-ejek (oleh kaum kafir dan munafik), maka janganlah kamu duduk (bergaul) dengan mereka sehingga mereka masuk kepada memperkatakan soal yang lain; kerana sesungguhnya (jika kamu melakukan yang demikian), tentulah kamu sama seperti mereka. Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) akan menghimpunkan sekalian orang munafik dan orang kafir di dalam Neraka Jahannam.

In verse 6:68 of al-An-am also THE BELIEVERS IN ALLAH (SWT) HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO SIT IN THE COMPANY OF SCOFFERS AND BLASPHEMERS, otherwise they will be no different from them. As the guilt of the infidels and the hypocrites is the same, the punishment will also be the same-eternal burning in hell.

IF THE AIM IS TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH, a meaningful discussion can be made with the critics of Islam as has been enjoined in verse 16:125 of al-Nahl.

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(4:140) Allah has enjoined upon you in the-Book that when you hear the signs of Allah being rejected and scoffed at, you will not sit with them until they engage in some other talk, or else you will become like them. *170 Know well, Allah will gather the hypocrites and the unbe-lievers in Hell - all together.

*170. A person who professes Islam and yet enjoys the company of those who indulge in blasphemy against God, and who bears with equanimity their scoffing at God and His Messenger, is no different' from the unbelievers mentioned here. (For the injunction in this verse, see also Surah al-An'am 6: 68 below.)